ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the core argument of the book, outlining the various facets of queer visibility and the ways in which it is operationalised within the Irish context. Specifically, this chapter problematises conceptions of queer visibility, noting that the story of Irish gay liberation, and queer visibility more broadly, is not one of oppression to liberation but one of a shifting power dynamic – a tug of war between LGBTQ communities and media institutions. The chapter establishes the cultural and historical context of the Irish gay civil rights movements, exploring the ways in which media activism was central to their political activities in achieving visibility for the community. It explores the composition and makeup of Ireland’s media landscape and how its evolving dynamics and affordances have shaped the contours of queer visibility. Further, the chapter argues for the inclusion of empirical methods from the broader field of queer production studies, arguing that decisions around representations and queer visibility are composed of varying confluences, particularly systems and patterns of production within the Irish media industry.
